Coordinator of the Explorer Initiative, Inspector Rosemary Isles-Joseph, has been working with the children getting the various pieces ready for the programme. The Cayon Explorers Club will be launched at the Cayon Primary School on September 08, 2018, at 4 p.m. The school had previously sent out letters to all parents informing them of the initiative and inviting them to get their children involved. At a rehearsal on Thursday (August 06), parents looked on adoringly while the children sang and recited poems. They even clapped and cheered them on at the end of each item.
Anesta Samuel ensures that she is present at the practice sessions once she is available. She is the mother of a 12-year-old, a nine-year-old, and a six-year-old. They are all involved in the group.
“My children are all excited about it. They want to participate and they love it so far. When it comes to the discipline part, I’ve seen a big difference in the attitude of my eldest daughter already,” Ms. Samuel said.
Another mother present, Renée Nisbett, said that she believes that the group will help to keep her son engaged in positive activities and off the street.
“He can be involved in a good programme. He likes it so far. I sent him to the Police Camp during the summer, so I didn’t hesitate to send him to this group when I learned about it,” Mrs. Nisbett explained.
Explorer Clubs are part of an initiative included in the Ministry of National Security’s broader Crime Prevention and Reduction Strategy and Social Intervention Programme. Clubs have already been launched in Shadwell, St. Paul’s, Molineux and Phillip’s. The groups are being created and implemented through a partnership with the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force (RSCNPF). Police officers are assigned to each group and oversee their operations, working along with parents and well-wishers in the community.